Land transportation is a popular form of transportation. It is cheap and convenient relative to other forms of travel. Land transportation relies on vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and armored vehicles, e.g., tanks. However, there are many problems associated with land transportation over difficult or unknown terrain, such as a warzone or a karst landscape. Obstacles such as explosives, sinkholes, and dangerous chemicals are often encountered during transportation across such terrains.
Explosives such as landmines or bombs are a serious threat to land vehicles. Bombs may be placed in or concealed on the ground. Landmines are often concealed on the surface of the ground or underground and designed to disable enemy targets as the targets pass near them. Landmines are typically detonated automatically by way of pressure from the target passing over. Landmines may also be detonated through a trigger mechanism. A landmine causes damages through direct impact from the blast or high speed fragments released from the blast. Similar to a landmine, an “improvised explosive device” (IED) or “roadside bomb” is constructed to cause damages through a blast. IEDs are often homemade and deployed in ways other than in conventional military activity. An TED may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery round attached to a detonating mechanism. An TED may also be constructed from nontraditional materials.
Another type of obstacle is Karst landscapes. Karst landscapes are geological formations composed of soluble bedrock that frequently cause sinkholes to develop. Sinkholes are formed when natural erosion occurs beneath the top surface. When a land vehicle passes over a sinkhole, the top surface may collapse and the vehicle may sink in and become trapped.
A third type of obstacle is dangerous chemicals. When dangerous chemicals are concealed, they are also difficult to detect.
The present application discloses advanced methods and apparatus for ground survey and obstacle detection. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein can be used to prevent enemy attacks during transportation across hostile territories, to ensure safe passage through uncharted geographic regions, or to survey uncharted geographic regions.